


25 Days of Clexa

by rochke11



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Airports, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Celebrity, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - World War II, Army, Artists and Muses Universe, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Gift of the Magi AU, Grinch References, Mall Santa - Freeform, Mature rating for some chapters, One Shot Collection, Returning Home, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-02
Updated: 2015-12-16
Packaged: 2018-05-04 12:38:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 15,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5334401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rochke11/pseuds/rochke11
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>25 days, 25 one-shots/drabbles for Clexa.  All Christmas/Holiday related</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Strangers 'Till It's Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Based in the Artists and Muses Universe (aka Strangers on the Phone/Strangers Don't Write Love Letters). Lexa is a famous singer/actress and Clarke is her artist wife

_I'm dreaming of a white Christmas_  
_just like the ones I used to know_

The words echoed through the high-ceiling New York City apartment. The voice was a familiar one to the home, but that night the source of voice was speakers built into the walls. Clarke Griffin-Woods lay on the couch in the living room with her three-year-old daughter River playing with toy cars on the floor while her one-year-old son lay asleep on her lap.

_Where the tree tops glisten_  
_And children listen_  
_To hear sleigh bells in the snow_

They’d spent the evening decorating the Christmas tree. Clarke had hoped that they could have decorated it as a family, but Lexa was away on a shoot. Clarke’s wife had barely been around all month, between preforming “White Christmas” at the lighting of the tree at Rockefeller Center, to finishing up filming on set in North Carolina, but Clarke was okay with that as long as she was home for Christmas.

_I'm dreaming of a white Christmas_  
_With every Christmas card I write_

Christmas Eve was three days away and Lexa had promised she’d be home in two days. Clarke couldn’t wait to decorate the tree though, it wasn’t fair to the kids. She just wished that Lexa had been there with her.

_May your days be merry and bright_  
_And may all your Christmases_

It was barely nine o’clock at night, but Clarke’s eyes were already drooping closed. Whenever she was alone with the two toddlers, she tended to be dead tired. She’d fallen asleep on the couch in the past month more times than she was willing to admit to.

_May all your Christmases_  
_May all your Christmases be white_

If she had been more awake, then she might have checked twitter and seen the tweet published by her sister-in-law.

> **@KennyWoods:** That awkward moment when you run into your sister at JFK @AlexandriaWoods.

And if her eyes hadn’t fallen completely shut, then she would have noticed the woman entering the apartment and snapping a picture that would later be posted on Instagram.

> **@AlexandriaWoods:** What a sight to see, finally coming home to my family. #SleepyClarke #SleepyJake #AlwaysAwakeRiver

What did cause Clarke to register the change in her apartment was the last few lines of the song playing over the speakers. Her wife’s rendition of “White Christmas” wasn’t just playing over the speakers, but the woman herself was singing along as well.

“I'm dreaming of a white Christmas with you. With you….” Lexa’s husky voice carried out the final lines.

“Lexie?” Clarke mumbled in her half sleep, convinced she was imagining the clear sound of her wife’s voice.

“Momma!” River exclaimed, her loud voice startling both Clarke and Jake fully awake. Jake immediately started crying, but River paid him no mind as she left her cars behind and ran towards the second source of the Christmas song.

“River!” Lexa laughed as she lifted the toddler off the ground and wrapped her arms around her tightly as she kissed her curls. “I missed you baby girl.”

“We decorated the tree!” River pointed to the centerpiece of the room.

“You sure did,” the singer-actress responded, carrying the girl back towards the couch as Clarke finally sat up. “And hello to my other favorite girl in the world,” Lexa grinned as she leaned down and kissed her wife’s forehead.

“Mmm,” Clarke cooed. She took a hand away from her son and wrapped it around her wife’s neck, keeping her close. She then pressed her lips to the brunette’s for a long kiss.

“Eww!” River groaned, wriggling around in Lexa’s grip. Her protests elicited laughter from her mothers.

“Momma?” the boy on Clarke’s lap asked as he rubbed his eyes and looked up at the newcomer.

“Hiya Jake-boy,” Lexa grinned. She shifted River onto her left hip and reached with her free hand to pick up her younger child.

Clarke smiled happily up at her family. Each time she saw her wife with their children, her heart skipped a beat. Lexa had never had much experience with children growing up and had been worried she wouldn’t make a good mom, but when Clarke looked at her with their children, she knew that Lexa never had anything to worry about.

“I thought you weren’t coming home for another two days,” Clarke furrowed her brow in confusion at her wife.

“I may have convinced my director that the crew needed the extra two days off for the holidays,” Lexa explained.

“Have I ever told you how much I love you?” Clarke swooned.

“A few times, but I never tire of hearing it,” Lexa smirked.

If she hadn’t been so tired, Clarke would have offered a quip in return, but instead all she said was, “I love you.”

Realizing that her son and wife were struggling to stay awake, Lexa made the executive decision to get her family to bed. “What do you say we all head to bed. I’ll make us some peppermint pancakes in the morning.”

“Mmm, peppermint pancakes,” Clarke cooed, standing up off the couch. She offered her hands out to take one of the children from her wife, but Lexa shook her head.

“I haven’t seen my babies in over a month, you really think I’m going to let them go yet?” Lexa teased.

Together, Lexa and Clarke put their children to bed before returning to their own bedroom. Lexa didn’t bother to unpack her suitcases, opting instead to find an old pair of pajamas to throw on.

“You asleep?” Lexa asked after brushing her teeth and crawling into bed where her wife was already curled up.

“Not yet,” Clarke mumbled. She turned around nuzzled into Lexa’s chest and Lexa wrapped her arms around her.

“I love you,” Lexa pressed a kiss into her wife’s blonde hair.

“You’re my favorite Christmas present,” Clarke mumbled.

“And you’re mine,” Lexa returned.

“Merry…” Clarke’s words trailed off and a soft snore escaped her.

“Merry Christmas Clarke,” Lexa chuckled and she pulled her wife closer before falling asleep to the familiar sound of her wife’s snores.


	2. Monarchs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three years of war between Arkadia and Polis have finally ended with a truce. For the first time since the war, Queen Clarke has been invited to the Christmas celebration thrown by Queen Alexandria.

It was tradition in the land of Polis for the King and Queen to host an elaborate series of balls lasting the twelve days of Christmas. The year after the death of the King and Queen was no exception, hosted instead by the new ruler of the realm, Queen Alexandria, known to her people as Heda.

The rulers of all the neighboring realms were invited every year, with the exception of Arkadia. The constant wars between Polis and Arkadia were often compared to those between England and France, but on a much larger and more devastating level.

The wars had been on going for generations, but the longest peace had been when Queen Alexandria was a child. She’d been raised in a time of peace, but taught to prepare for war. War with Arkadia had begun again when she was sixteen and still a Princess. Now, three years later, it had finally concluded, a peace treaty in the works.

It was because of this treaty that the rulers of Arkadia had been invited to the Christmas celebration. King Jake had been dead just over a year, having died valiantly in the frontline of the war. His wife, the Queen Consort Abigail had become the ruler of Arkadia after his death until their daughter, the Princess Clarke became of age.

Now, however, the Queen Clarke was just months away from turning eighteen and had insisted to her mother that she be the one who attended the Christmas festivities, as she was the one who would be signing the treaty.

The war was barely a month over and it had ended in devastating fire, both Queen Alexandria and Queen Clarke devising the final war strategies. The ruler of Polis had sent hundreds of her warriors to attack the royal family directly, but the young ruler of Arkadia had seen the attack and had retaliated by causing a diversion and setting all of Polis’s warriors on fire.

Both young women knew that the final acts of war had not been devised by high ranked generals, but rather each other.

Clarke, Queen of Arkadia, arrived in Polis before the second night of festivities, having been delayed by a storm. By the time she arrived in her dark green gown, the celebrations were already in full swing, wine flowing freely, delicacies passing over lips and elegantly dressed royals and dignitaries all dancing joyously.

Upon entering the main ballroom, Clarke shooed her guards away. She was there to celebrate the Christmas holiday and the new peace being brokered between the two realms, she didn’t want to seem as if she needed protection.

It didn’t take long for the Queen of Arkadia to locate Queen Alexandria. Both women were rulers of the two largest countries, people whispered whenever they passed. Clarke first spotted the other woman sitting in her throne, flanked by guards Indra and Gustus on either side of her.

The first thing Clarke noticed about her was her eyes, always so strikingly green, large and expressive. They were the feature Clarke always remembered best about the woman. Clarke approached the brunette sitting on the throne, her blonde curls bouncing slightly.

The brunette had been watching Clarke since the moment she entered the room and allowed her to approach her. Clarke had grown since the last time she had seen her. She was no longer the baby-faced girl she’d grown up with during a time of peace. The woman in front of her was a hardened veteran of war. Just like herself.

“You’re the one who burned 300 of my warriors alive,” the ruler of Polis spoke after Clarke stopped in front of her.

“You’re the one who sent them there to kill us,” the blonde retorted.

They were the first words they’d spoken directly to each other since the beginning of the war. Before the war though, they’d exchanged more words than could ever be counted. From childhood games in each other’s countryside castles, running away from their guards and escaping on horses, to whispers over shared pillows and the brush lips with soft words spoken.

Both women were silent for a long moment, waiting for the other to break first. In the end, smiles hit both their faces at the same moment.

“I’m glad you’re here,” the brunette spoke first.

“Well it’s common knowledge that the best Christmas parties are in Polis, Lexa,” Clarke responded, using the nickname that only she was allowed to utter. Lexa’s smile grew wider at the name.

Lexa turned to her guards and gestured for them to leave, “Go.”

As soon as Gustus and Indra had left, Lexa stood up and approached Clarke, standing so close that their large gowns brushed one another.

“You’ve grown quite beautiful in the past three years,” Lexa spoke.

“As have you,” Clarke responded with a blush.

“Dance with me,” Lexa offered the other ruler her hand. Clarke looked down at the offer and hesitated only momentarily before taking it.

The dance floor cleared room for the two Queens and they danced to the sound of an orchestra playing the tunes of classic Christmas songs.

For hours they danced, breaking only to drink and offer toasts, occasionally speaking to other royals and dignitaries.

Before long, the night was ending. The sun would be rising shortly, which meant it was time to retire to bedrooms. The next night would bring much of the same after a day of sleep.

They left each other, with a kiss on each cheek that night and the next few that followed.

Each night was much of the same. Dancing, drinking and eating. Clarke and Lexa spent much time laughing as they reminisced on the years of peace that was their childhood. They’d spent their summers alternating between each other’s countries until the war.

Christmas Eve broke the pattern though. After they danced cheek to cheek to the final song of the night, instead of parting ways with kisses on cheeks, Lexa refused to let go of the other Queen’s hand.

“Don’t,” she spoke, her expressive eyes practically begging for Clarke to stay.

Clarke gently squeezed Lexa’s hand and smiled. The Queen of Polis led the Queen of Arkadia up to the royal bedchambers where Indra and Gustus stood guard, neither saying a word.

As soon as the large wooden door shut, Clarke wasn’t even given the opportunity to look around at the exquisite room, instead she was backed into the door. Lexa’s lips were on hers in a frenzy. A frenzy that Clarke eagerly returned.

They took time to unlace each other’s gowns, knowing the time and expense that went into each royal garment, before they stood naked in front of one another.

Clarke ran her hands over Lexa’s breasts before resting them on the brunette’s hips. She pulled Lexa in close and rested their heads together. Around them, the room was covered in Christmas decorations and their nostrils were filled with the smell of pine.

“Merry Christmas,” Clarke spoke, before capturing Lexa’s lips with her own. Lexa then guided their naked bodies onto the expansive bed, before they lost themselves in each other’s bodies.

Queen Clarke of Arkadia returned to her country two days later, her large furs and gown covering the marks dozens of love bites and bruises. She parted ways with Queen Alexandria of Polis with kisses on each cheek and a promise of a treaty to be signed the next month.

The two realms returned to a time of peace and their rulers maintained the peace throughout their lives. They never had more than Christmas and the other occasional visit together, but they took what they could get. After all, they had countries to rule over.

Generations later, their peoples would still be telling the story of two Queens in love. Two Queens forced apart by a war, then by their obligations to their own countries. It was the fairytale told by parents to their children of two royals who were forced to show their love only a handful of times a year, forced to choose head over heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out my tumblr where I'll be posting a list of the prompts I've gotten so far, also feel free to send me any!
> 
> madgirlbackhome.tumblr.com


	3. Santa/Grinch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke Griffin loves Christmas, but Lexa Woods can’t stand it. Their difference of opinions shouldn’t really matter, since they aren’t even friends, then why do they keep fighting about it?

Clarke Griffin loved Christmas. She loved it more than any other holiday, including her own birthday. Every year, she started listening to Christmas music around Halloween, but always through earbuds. Octavia was known to complain when she started hearing Christmas music too early. As soon as December 1st hit though, Clarke went full out.

Every day of December Clarke would wear something festive, play Christmas music out loud and offer candy canes to everyone she came in contact with. Being student body president at TonDC high school, she oversaw all the school’s decorations and made sure that she spread the Christmas cheer around.

You’ve hardly spoken more than a few words to Clarke in the nearly twelve years you’ve been going to school together, but she isn’t exactly hard to read. And when it comes to Christmas, everyone knows Clarke Griffin’s love for the holidays.

TonDC Prep isn’t exactly a large school, but nearly everyone in your class has been there since kindergarten or first grade. You all know each other. You know that Clarke’s Dad died two years ago and that the Blake siblings have different fathers. You know that Murphy’s mom blames him for his dad’s death. You know that Jackson wants to be a doctor some day and that he has a hopeless crush on Monty. You know that Monty returns the crush, though neither are ready to admit to their feelings. And everyone knows that you’re gay.

Everyone knows something about everyone, that’s only natural, but friend groups formed in elementary school and they haven’t changed much since. You and Clarke are in completely different friend groups. Clarke is friends with the smart, popular kids. She has the second highest GPA in your grade, just behind Raven Reyes and is not just student body president, but also co-captain of the chess team with Wells Jaha.

You may not be top of your class, but you aren’t an idiot either. You choose to dedicate your time to lacrosse. You made varsity as a freshman and are now in your second year as captain. You’re an All-American and all your dedication has paid off now that you’ve committed to play at Cornell.

As much as Clarke Griffin loves Christmas, you, Lexa Woods, hates it. You hate the fact that Christmas is rooted in consumerism and people fake their happiness. You hate the fact that it’s supposed to be a holiday about family and that you’re forced to spend Christmas with your homophobic extended family.

The week before winter break, the halls of TonDC Prep seemed to have vomited Christmas. Everywhere you turn, you had to avoid stepping under mistletoe and was accosted by wreaths hung from lockers. Twice you slipped and fell on fake snow.

You nearly slip a third time on you way to Physics, when someone catches at the last minute.

“I should have known the fake snow was too much, but it just makes everything look so magical,” your savior speaks as she helps right you on your feet. You shouldn’t have been surprised to see that Clarke Griffin was the one who had saved you. Who else would refer to white plastic as “magical”?

It didn’t help that you had basically just made a fool of herself in front of the girl you’d had a crush on since you figured out that you were gay.

“You okay Lex?” Clarke asked concerned. No one at TonDC Prep has called you Lex since Anya graduated last year.

“I’m fine,” you spit out venomously. Clarke takes a step away from you after hearing your bitter tone. “And yes, the fake snow is too much. And so is the mistletoe, the wreaths, the candy canes and Santa hats. All of it. It’s tacky and annoying.”

Clarke stares at you in shock and you turn and walk away. You were never great at talking to pretty girls with blonde hair that shines and blue eyes that sparkle.

You don’t even make it twenty-four hours before running into Clarke Griffin again. And yes, you do actually run into her. She’d carrying more wrapped presents than could possibly fit in her arms and of course they all tumble to the ground.

“Shit!” she exclaims as she falls to the ground and starts to collect the presents. She appears frazzled, something Clarke Griffin hardly ever is. And you would know, considering how much time you spend looking at her. Anya always said you looked at her with heart-eyes.

The fact that she’s frazzled throws you off, so you immediately drop to the ground beside her and help her grab all the presents.

“I’ve got it,” she speaks tersely. “ You can go know Grinch.” She grabs the last present from you and struggles to balance them all. Several fall from her arms, so you pick them up.

“Where are you taking them, let me help you,” you offer, surprising even yourself.

“To the faculty lounge,” Clarke explains. “You can follow me.”

You follow Clarke as she leads you to the faculty lounge. You aren’t surprised when she reveals that she has a key to the room and lets you both in.

“You can just put them on the table there,” she nods her head to the only table in the room and you put the presents down. You turn and leave, unaware of the fact that Clarke sighs and watches you go, a longing look on her face.

You make it through the last day of school before break and are looking forward to Netflixing in your room, alone, but Lincoln forced you to go to Jasper Jordan’s Christmas party with him. You know it’s because he has a crush on Octavia and knows she’ll be there, but wasn’t able to convince anyone else to go with him.

You dress in all black because there’s no way in hell you’re putting on anything festive. The moment you walk through the doors of the Jordan house, you nearly turn back, but Lincoln is forcing you forward.

Christmas music is blaring, the lightbulbs have all been replaced by red and green lightbulbs and everyone is wearing ugly Christmas sweaters. It pretty much your worst nightmare.

You decide that the only way to deal with it all, especially after Lincoln finds Octavia, is to drink more than is really necessary. So by the time the party is in full swing, you’re very drunk and have started singing along to Mariah Carey. You haven’t gotten to the point of dancing yet, but you are definitely singing along.

“Do my ears deceive me, or is the Grinch singing Christmas songs?” a voice speaks from behind you.

You know the voice, so you aren’t surprised that it’s Clarke when you turn around.

“You have no proof,” you cross your arms across your chest.

“The fact that you’re blushing right now is proof enough,” Clarke laughs. Her cheeks are red as well, but you assume that’s from the alcohol.

“I’m not blushing,” you retort, but you know you are.

“Why do you hate Christmas so much?” Clarke asks.

“Why do you love it?” you return.

“People are happier at Christmas.”

“No they’re not,” you scoff. “They’re exhausted and ready to snap, forced into spending money on people they don’t even really care about, but are forced into buying presents for anyway.”

“I disagree,” Clarke mimics your pose and folds her arms across her chest.

“Of course you do, you’re practically Father Christmas,” you laugh.

The song changes to a Michael Buble Christmas song and you both groan.

“Wait, is there a Christmas song that Clarke ‘Santa’ Griffin doesn’t like?” you gasp and smirk.

“I just can’t stand him, and I have no idea why!” Clarke throws up her hands in defeat. “Come on,” she grabs your hand and you try not to think about the fact that it’s probably sweaty and you let her drag you into the kitchen away from the music.

“Much better,” you nod.

“Peppermint shot?” Bellamy asks, handing both you and Clarke a shot glass. You shrug and take it. You and Clarke clink glasses before downing the shot.

“I think it’s nice that you love Christmas so much,” you admit, immediately wishing your drunken tongue had a bit more tact.

“I think it’s nice that you can look objectively at Christmas,” Clarke responds with a smile. You stand there staring at each other for a long moment and you really want to kiss her. Especially after she licks her lips with a pink tongue.

“Look up,” Clarke speaks as she points to the ceiling. You’re standing under mistletoe.

You each take a step towards each other, look up at the mistletoe, then back at each other.

“You know what that means right?” Clarke smirks. “Even a Grinch knows what mistletoe means.”

You don’t waste another second, so you answer her question by pressing your lips to hers. It was supposed to be a chaste kiss, but it heats up quickly and by the time you pull away, you’re both out of breath, but smiling.

Maybe Christmas isn’t so bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> still room for a few more prompts! the master list is on my blog as well  
> madgirlbackhome.tumblr.com


	4. Secret Santa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Bellamy invites his sisters (Clarke and Octavia) to his in-laws’ Christmas celebration, they are forced to participate in a Secret Santa exchange. Clarke is assigned Lexa and all she knows about her is that she’s a law student that loves the Mets. Well, Clarke loves the Yankees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Changed a bit from the original prompt, but enjoy!

The Woods cousins had a long-standing tradition of participating in a Secret Santa exchange every year on Christmas Eve. The tradition had been started once the older cousins realized that there was no way they wanted to spend money on each of their twenty-two cousins, especially once some started getting married, adding cousin-in-laws to the mix. 

The year Echo Woods married Bellamy Blake, the Woods cousins’ Secret Santa exchange added three new members; Bellamy and his two sisters Octavia and Clarke. Technically, Octavia was Bellamy’s half-sister and Clarke was his adopted sister, but they were family nevertheless. Clarke’s parents had adopted Bellamy and Octavia when they were ten and five respectively, but since their father, Jake, died and their mother, Abby had moved to the other side of the country for a job, the three siblings only had each other for Christmas. It was a no-brainer that Bellamy’s sisters would be invited to Christmas with his wife’s family.

The Woods cousins, helmed by eldest Indra, picked their Secret Santas through a website, Elfster, that allowed for stipulations, such as the fact that spouses could not receive each other, and neither could siblings.

When the website had emailed out their assigned Secret Santas, both Octavia and Clarke had to ask Bellamy for help with gifts. He’d been pleasantly surprised to find out that his Secret Santa was Lincoln, the Woods cousin he knew the best. Octavia had received Anya, eliciting laughter from Bellamy. Anya was the only family member of his wife’s that he was decently intimidated by. He explained that she would be easy to buy for though, as she’d recently been talking about the fact that she needed new boxing gloves. Bellamy hadn’t been sure how to help Clarke though. She’d been assigned Lexa, one of the youngest of the Woods cousins, twenty-two years old and the same age as both Clarke and Octavia. He knew that she was in law school and loved the Mets, but didn’t know too much else about her.

In the end, Clarke had ended up buying the elusive cousin two tickets to a Mets/Yankees game for the following season. She was a Yankees fan herself and found some humor in the gift. Clarke hadn’t missed a Mets/Yankees game for as long as she could remember.

Christmas Eve arrived and Clarke found herself struggling to keep track of the Woods relatives. She couldn’t remember if Tris was Anya’s daughter or sister, and she was convinced that there was a set of identical triplets, but hadn’t seen more than two of them in a room together at a time. She also wasn’t sure if Raven was a Woods or an in-law. Everyone tended to blend together.

Finally, it came time to open up presents. Clarke had yet to meet her Secret Santa, or at least she didn’t believe she had. Clarke knew it was no use trying to pick from the crowd who Lexa was, as there were too many cousins whose name she didn’t know, so instead she focused on the exchange. The exchange started with the eldest, Indra, who presented her cousin Caris with a gift certificate to Soul Cycle. Caris then took her turn and gave Gustus a GPS watch. Then it was Gustus’ turn. They continued to give presents in that way, the receiver becoming the giver, who then gave to the next receiver. It seemed to work well until Lincoln gave Indra her present and the exchange came full circle.

“Has anyone not exchanged yet?” Indra asked.

Clarke looked around the room, realizing that she had neither given nor received a present yet, so she tentatively raised her hand. Clarke looked around the room and saw that one other person was raising her hand. Clarke wasn’t sure how she’d missed her at first, with long brown curls, a casual suit and green eyes she could see from across the room, Clarke couldn’t imagine seeing her and forgetting her.

“It looks like Lex and Clarke have each other,” Echo addressed the room with a laugh. Clarke gave her sister-in-law a weak smile and stood up at the same time as Lexa.

The two met in the center of the room and held out small gift bags to one another.

“I’m your secret santa,” Clarke spoke as she handed the brunette her bag. Lexa let out an almost sarcastic laugh in return that Clarke realized sounded vaguely familiar.

The two opened their gifts at the same time and for a moment, Clarke wondered if she’d opened the wrong one, as inside hers was an envelope containing two tickets to a Mets/Yankees game in the upcoming season.

Lexa must have realized at the same time Clarke did because she looked up at her in confusion.

“So what’d you guys get?” Bellamy asked loudly.

“Tickets to a Yankees game,” Clarke spoke at the same time Lexa said, “Tickets to a Mets game.”

The two looked at each other and smirked. It was when Lexa smirked that Clarke realized why she looked familiar.

Three years ago at the Yankees/Mets game, Clarke had been getting beer for herself and her ex, fuckboy Finn, when she’d run into a woman decked out in Mets apparel. They’d gotten into a playful argument about their teams.

Later that night, after Finn accidentally revealed that he had been cheating on Clarke, Clarke had run into the woman again, this time at a bar. They’d recognized each other immediately and started playfully arguing again. They’d ended up hooking up in the bathroom. They’d parted ways without getting each other’s details.

Lexa must have remembered the night at the same time Clarke did, because her face immediately paled.

“You’re the Yankees girl,” Lexa addressed the issue.

“And you’re the Mets girl,” Clarke laughed in return.

The Woods cousins were left wondering what the hell the two were talking about, when they abandoned the center of the room and started playfully arguing about their respective teams.

Clarke remained in the Woods cousins’ Secret Santa exchange for years and just three Christmases after her first at the Woods family Christmas celebration, she participated in the exchange as a Woods herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the masterlist should be updated this evening on my blog, do you all want me to put it here as well?
> 
> madgirlbackhome.tumblr.com


	5. Beer Pong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the end of the semester at Polis University and it's time for the annual beer pong tournament.

“This is Raven Reyes here on the underground frequency at Polis University, coming to you live from Alpha Rho Kappa fraternity, or ARK for all you froshies out there,” Raven spoke into a speaker that broadcasted her voice not only through the basement of the fraternity, but also throughout campus on the secret radio station that everyone at Polis U listened to. “I hope you enjoyed our little break from the competition going on here as you got your fill of Mariah Carey Christmas and other pop songs that white girls just love to sing to, but now we’re back. For those of you just tuning in, a few minutes ago we just witnessed the final doubles round of beer pong for the year. It was a tough competition, fan favorite team Clarke and yours truly unfortunately were knocked out in the semi-finals by the Blake siblings who went on to play the Woods sisters in the finals. The Blakes, however, got their comeuppance as they were brutally destroyed by sisters Lexa and Anya.”

Half the room cheered while the others booed. Raven was speaking more to her friends and classmates at the fraternity than those awkward kids listening in their dorm rooms, but she played it up to both her crowds.

“Now that we’ve gotten the doubles tournament out of the way, we’ve now made it to the point everyone has been waiting for. The singles beer pong tournament. The tournament that will finally determine THE best best pong player of the year at Polis U. This semester, co-eds have been competing at both fraternities and sororities alike, trying to get themselves entered into the hundred person tournament. The first two rounds were played yesterday and now we’re down to the top 25 players. I have decided to abstain from the tournament, not because I lost yesterday to fucking John Murphy, no, but so that I can provide you to the moment details on the tournament. Now, without further ado, let’s start the tournament! First up we have brother against sister. Bellamy Blake versus Octavia Blake!”

Everyone cheered as the siblings took their spots and started to compete. The competition quickly went into full swing as the college students drank themselves into oblivion.

Clarke was one of the few competitors who was mostly sober. She only drank when she absolutely had to, and since she was winning every game she played, she wasn’t drinking much. At the quarter finals, after Anya lost to Murphy, Clarke made eye contact with Lexa Woods across the room. The brunette was her biggest competition and they both knew it. They both also knew how sober they both were.

“We’ve now made it to the semi-finals!” Raven announced. Clarke kept Lexa’s eye contact the entire time Raven spoke. “First up we’ll have Clarke Griffin up against Jasper Jordan, then Lexa Woods versus John Murphy!”

Clarke defeated Jasper almost too quickly. The sophomore was a bit in over his head and had started drinking in between rounds, too sure of his own talents. The other semi-final game took slightly longer, but in the end, Lexa defeated Murphy, the last standing ARK brother.

“Here we have it folks, the top two pong players at Polis U, Lexa Woods and Clarke Griffin!” the room cheered at Raven’s announcement. In just a few minutes, we’ll finally be able to crown the number one player of 2015! Anyone who has been following the rounds leading up to this tournament probably know that seniors Lexa and Clarke have been seeded in the top ten competitors since their freshman years, in fact Lexa Woods is our defending champion, but will Clarke be able to kick her off the throne? It would confirm my suspicion that Lexa is a bottom, I already know that Clarke is a top.” Raven sought Clarke’s gaze and winked at her. The room laughed, but Clarke simply rolled her eyes at her friend. She’d slept with Raven once two years ago, but Clarke was perfectly content with her current relationship status.

The game was a tight one. Going back and forth they sunk balls in cups. Lexa sunk hers in the last cup, but Clarke returned in her last cup. They went into sudden death.

“Do you really think you’ll beat me?” Lexa taunted. “I’m the defending champ, remember?”

“Do you really think you can distract me with your trash talk?” Clarke returned. “I’m not that easily distracted.” She sunk a ball in a cup.

“I bet I could think of some other ways to distract you,” Lexa smirked, eliciting a blush from the blonde. Lexa through her own ball and it went in.

They each had only one cup left.

“This is it folks, the end,” Raven announced to the suspended crowd.

They each took their shots and both missed. It was Clarke’s turn again, and this time she sunk it in, the room went wild with cheers.

“If Lexa makes this one in, then we’ll be on sudden death round two. If not, we’ll have a new champion,” Raven explained.

Clarke looked nervously at Lexa and watched as the brunette’s confident smirk faltered slightly. Lexa raised her hand and threw the ball. It arched through the air and hit the cup, bouncing off the rim. The crowd went wild again and began to chant Clarke’s name.

Clarke pounded the air with her fist.

“CLARKE GRIFFIN IS OUR WINNER!” Raven yelled into the mic before turning on music.

Before she celebrated her win with her friends, Clarke shook Lexa’s hand. “Good game,” she nodded, trying to hide her excitement.

“You too,” Lexa smiled back.

“Oh my god, kiss her already!” Raven groaned through the mic.

Both Lexa and Clarke laughed, their hands still still clasped. Clarke took this as her cue and pulled Lexa into a long kiss as the beats of some pop Christmas song played in the background. They’d avoided even touching each other for days leading up to the tournament, knowing that they were each other’s biggest competition.

“You didn’t let me win, did you?” Clarke asked her girlfriend as they leaned their foreheads together after the kiss.

“I guess you’ll never know champ,” Lexa winked before pulling the blonde to the dance floor where they danced under Christmas lights and celebrated Clarke’s win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed!
> 
> madgirlbackhome.tumblr.com


	6. Co-Workers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke is the manager of a factory and makes sure she keeps up the Christmas spirit of her employees. Lexa just happens to be one of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about not posting yesterday! Instead you'll be getting two today :)  
> I decided to turn the co-workers prompt into a period piece

With Christmas just around the corner, all the women at the factory were working their hardest to keep up the cheer. Nearly every woman who worked at the factory had a husband who was fighting in the Great War, or at the very least a brother or father who was risking his life for the country. The women found it only fair to do their part and keep up the spirit back on the Homefront.

Clarke had lost her husband in the war months earlier, but she was in charge of all the women on her factory floor, which meant that she couldn’t afford to grieve. That was her excuse anyway. In reality, Clarke hadn’t loved Finn in a long time, but had only remained with him because she was a good Christian who believed her son deserved to be raised by two parents. That hadn’t mattered in the end though.

“Keep it up ladies!” Clarke announced as she walked through the factory floor. “If we get through our quota we’ll have Christmas off for sure.”

A few women cheered while the rest continued to work. Clarke had started working on the floor, but had quickly worked her way up to management. People trusted her and she was good with people, not to mention the fact that she came from a wealthy family and still kept up with work.

“Clarke, I have a question about this order,” came a voice from behind one of the machines. 

Clarke knew who the voice belonged to and quickly headed over to Lexa Woods’ station.

“Let me see,” Clarke took the work order from Lexa and read it over. “What about it doesn’t make sense.”

“Well, I just filled six of the same orders in a row,” Lexa spoke. The brunette placed a hand close to Clarke’s, pointing to the words on the page. Their hands brushed.

For weeks they had been brushing hands, brushing back hair and standing closer to each other than was necessary. Clarke knew that Lexa was one of those women who frequented the underground clubs where women who had special interests found each other. As far as anyone knew, Clarke had never frequented those clubs, but before she married Finn, she had been a handful of times. She knew exactly what Lexa’s lingering looks meant, but more important was the fact that Clarke had a factory to run and Lexa was her employee.

“I’m sure the order is correct,” Clarke pulled handed the paper back to Lexa. “Keep up the good work.” She patted Lexa’s shoulder and rested her hand there for a moment longer than was necessary.

“Are you excited for Christmas?” Lexa asked.

“It’ll be my first Christmas without my husband,” Clarke responded.

“Do you miss him?”

Clarke sighed and took her hand off Lexa’s shoulder. “Time to get back to work.”

The rest of the week Clarke made sure her women all kept their spirits up and on Christmas Eve they were done by noon.

“Great job girls!” Clarke exclaimed as everyone left their work stations and started to gather their belongings to head home to their families.

The women all cleared out until Clarke was alone, ready to lock up the factory.

“You’re always the last to leave,” came a voice. Clarke turned around and saw Lexa standing behind her.

“It’s kind of my job,” Clarke laughed in return. Lexa took a step closer to her boss. “What are you still doing here?”

“I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas,” Lexa responded. 

“Are you spending Christmas with your family?” Clarke asked.

“No,” Lexa shook her head. “They’re all gone.”

This time it was Clarke who took a step closer to Lexa. “You can’t spend Christmas alone.”

“I don’t mind,” Lexa shrugged.

Clarke thought about all the subtle touches and the way Lexa looked at her and she made a split-second decision. “Come spend Christmas with me and my son,” she offered. “It’s just the two of us this year and I always cook too much food.”

“A Christmas miracle,” Lexa laughed, “I thought you’d never ask.”

Clarke shook her head in laughter, but the next day, Lexa showed up at Clarke’s home where she celebrated the holiday with the blonde and her son. And after a night of food and laughter, the factory manager finally gave into her employee’s subtle moves and kissed her beside the Christmas tree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> madgirlbackhome.tumblr.com


	7. The Gift of the Magi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa Woods has $1.87 to spend on her wife for Christmas, but Clarke deserves a present for the holiday so Lexa is determined to make sure she receives the gift she deserves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and here's the second of the day! Gift of the Magi AU, very similar to the original story but instead of the past, I set it in a desolate future

Lexa Woods had $1.87 left to her name after purchasing the absolute basics she needed to cook a Christmas dinner for herself and her wife. Times had been rough for everyone since the collapse of the Internet and the World Market, but Lexa still wanted to have a good Christmas with her wife.

She had $1.87 left to spend on a Christmas for her wife, and half of that was in pennies she’d been collecting. Lexa had been hoping to have more money to spend on her wife, but a window had broken in their apartment and it was too cold to not have it fixed.

Christmas morning, Lexa kissed her wife goodbye as Clarke headed to her job on the other side of town where should work for most of the day, coming home just in time for Christmas dinner. As soon as Clarke left, Lexa carefully recounted all her coins, placed them all in a coin purse and bundled up in a threadbare coat.

Lexa walked through the busy streets of Polis, noting the growing number of homeless on the streets. She knew that even though she only had $1.87 to her name, she was one of the lucky ones. And she wanted Clarke to know that they were lucky they had each other.

Lexa knew that there was no way she could afford anything for Clarke with what she had, which is why she stopped outside of Madame Octavia’s Barbershop. A sign outside of the shop read “We Buy Hair”. Lexa’s hair was her most striking feature. It was long and curly, brown that fell in waves all the way down her back. She kept it in intricate braids, braids that Clarke loved to play with as they lay on the couch cuddled together.

“You have beautiful hair,” Madame Octavia exclaimed as she sat Lexa down in a chair and began undoing all the woman’s intricate braids.

“How much can I get for it?” Lexa asked.

“It depends how much we cut off. I can offer you a dollar for each inch,” Octavia offered.

“And how much hair do I have?”

“Let me check,” Octavia took out a measuring tape and took it to Lexa’s hair, showing her the numbers.

“Take off twenty inches,” Lexa sighed.

Octavia raised her eyebrows in surprise and nodded.

Less than an hour later, Lexa left Octavia’s with twenty dollars in her hands and her hair cut to just below her ears.

She took to the streets of Polis again, this time with $21.87 in her coin purse and in search of a present for her wife. She knew exactly what she wanted to get her wife for Christmas and found the perfect shop for it. After her father died, Clarke had inherited his most prized possession, a pocket watch. After inheriting the watch, it had become Clarke’s most prized possession. So after bartering with the shop owner, Lexa managed to purchase a new chain for the watch, as the old one had broken and fallen off several years earlier.

Satisfied with her purchase, Lexa headed home to finish cooking Christmas dinner. The sun set early and Lexa managed to make the small meal look delicious. The clock struck seven and Clarke still wasn’t home. She was usually home before then.

At seven thirty, the door to the Woods’ apartment swung open, letting in the cold air and a bundled up blonde who was muttering apologies. Lexa, who had been waiting on the couch, nervously stood up. In one hand she held the box containing with the watch chain and with the other she nervously tugged on her short hair. She knew how much Clarke had loved her long hair and hoped she would still find her beautiful.

As soon as Clarke looked into the room, she stopped in her tracks and looked at Lexa with a face full of confusion.

“Clarke, I know it’s different,” Lexa gestured to her hair, “But I had to. Madame Octavia was buying hair and I couldn’t stand the idea of not having a Christmas present for you this year so I sold it. It’s just hair though, it’ll grow back. Wait until you see the present I got for you.”

“You cut your hair?” Clarke asked, as if still processing exactly what was going on.

“I did,” Lexa nodded.

“Oh Lexi,” Clarke laughed as she pulled her wife into a tight embrace. After pulling out of the hug, Clarke reached into her pocket and withdrew from it a bag, handing it to her wife. “I got these for you this afternoon, but it doesn’t matter. I love you no matter what, hair long or short.”

Lexa placed her present for her wife on the couch as she opened the bag Clarke had handed her. Her eyes pricked as she took in the sight of her present. A bag full of combs and hair adornments, now rendered completely useless with her hair all cut off.

“My hair will grow back,” Lexa nodded. “Then I’ll be able to use them, but wait until you see what I got for you.”

Lexa took the box she’d been holding and offered it over to Clarke. Clarke looked down at the box and carefully opened it. “Oh Lexa,” she sighed as she took in the sight of the chain.

“I made sure it was the same style as the old chain,” Lexa explained.

Clarke sighed and pulled Lexa onto the couch, wrapping an arm around her. “I sold my watch to pay for your combs,” the blonde shook her head.

Clarke and Lexa looked at each other, realizing that they’d each sold their most valuable possessions for each other, only to discover that their gifts were now useless. They both smiled and chuckled lightly. Lexa pulled Clarke in towards her and rested their foreheads together. Clarke twisted her fingers through Lexa’s short hair and kissed her lips.

“The gifts don’t matter,” Lexa laughed. “All that matters is that I have you.”

“And that I have you,” Clarke agreed. “We have each other.”

The magi, as you know, were wise men - wonderfully wise men - who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. 

The story of Clarke and Lexa Woods is the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a cold apartment who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. 

Let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. The women gave up their most cherished for the happiness of their most cherished lover in acts of pure selflessness. 

They are the magi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed!
> 
> madgirlbackhome.tumblr.com


	8. A Very Grounder Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sky People celebrate their first Christmas on Earth with the help of the Grounders after their shared defeat of Mountain Weather.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it's a day late, but that means you get 2 chapters today!  
> So I changed this a bit from the original prompts. Several of you requested something along the lines of the Sky People's first Christmas on Earth and you all asked for the Grounders to be completely oblivious to the holiday. I didn't really feel right writing it that way, so I gave the Grounders a tradition of their own as well, one that the Sky People are oblivious to

Christmas on the Ark was never as big of a celebration as Unity Day was, but it was still a celebration nevertheless. It was only celebrated as a religious celebration by a handful of people, but by most others as a celebration of tradition and family.

After arriving on Earth, the delinquents didn’t bother to keep track of time and days. It wasn’t until after the Grounders and Sky People defeated Mount Weather, together, that those from the Ark finally got back on their calendars.

Christmas landed nearly a month to the day after the fall of Mount Weather. They were finally in a time of peace and the Sky People wanted nothing more than to have a celebration.

As it was a time of peace, the Sky People extended an invitation to the Grounders to join them for the festivities. While many of the high ranking Tree People had returned to Polis after the fall of the mountain, Lexa included, others remained to help rebuild TonDC with the aid of the Arkers and were grateful for the excuse for a celebration, even if they didn’t celebrate the holiday themselves. The Grounders were tasked with bringing in meat to be cooked while the Sky People set up an area outside of Camp Jaha for the event to be held.

Lincoln and Octavia were the ones who found the perfect tree. It was just over 25 feet tall once cut down and set up in the center of the open area. Together, Monty and Raven figured out a way to make a string of lights to be wrapped around the tree. On the Ark they’d never had real trees, just one fake tree in each of the stations, many of which had lost nearly all of their fake needles.

Jasper and Monty brought out a new batch of moonshine that they’d been preparing all week. Not even Marcus reprimanded them though and it was drunk by all. It was the first Arker Christmas on the ground and all the Arker traditions were played out. There was a multi-course meal, a tree with lights and music played by both Grounders and Arkers alike.

Clarke sat alone on a log as she watched the festivities, a cup of moonshine in her hand. She’d made sacrifices to get to this point, but watching Grounders and Arkers alike mingling and enjoying themselves, she finally felt content. She couldn’t help but wish, however, that Lexa wasn’t in Polis. After they had defeated the mountain, they had parted ways as Lexa had matters to attend to regarding the coalition. Clarke was to join her in another week, once Lexa was sure the alliance would hold with the Sky People and the other clans, but she missed her nevertheless. When Lexa had left, they were still in limbo. The kiss still between them, but not yet brought up again. Because Clarke had said the words “Not Yet”.

Now, however, Clarke was more certain. She was ready.

The celebration was lit by the large tree and small fires and the light began to illuminate snowflakes that fell from the sky. The snow quickly picked up, but nobody minded. The Grounders, however, seemed to grow more excited, the Sky People marveled at the newness of the precipitation.

It was getting late when Clarke, on the edge of the clearing, heard the approach of horses. She placed her hand on her holster, only to realize that she hadn’t brought her gun with her. It was a time of peace.

Clarke’s heart skipped a beat as the horses cleared the tree line and entered the clearing. Lexa was immediately visible in her armor, flanked by guards. 

“Heda!” the Grounders cheered drunkenly.

Even from where she sat, Clarke could see the slight strain in Lexa’s jaw, she knew that the leader was restraining herself from smiling at her drunken people. Heda dismounted her horse and greeted her people.

Clarke remained on her log and watched Lexa interact with her people. She noticed the way Lexa kept looking behind the heads of her people as she greeted them. Finally, Lexa’s green eyes met Clarke’s blue and the smile that Lexa had been holding back briefly crossed her face.

“Happy Christmas,” Lexa greeted Clarke after she shed her armor and approached the girl.

“It’s actually Merry Christmas,” Clarke corrected her with a smirk. “What are you doing here?”

“I heard there was a celebration, I did not want to miss it. It speaks to the peace between our people,” Lexa explained. “I also desired to see you again,” she added, almost as an embarrassing after-thought.

“I missed you too,” Clarke agreed.

The two young women sat beside each other on Clarke’s log and observed as their people continued to get drunker as the snow fell heavier. They didn’t feel the need to fill the silence. They used each other’s proximity to help keep warm. When a drunk Caris nearly knocked over the tree, saved at the last second by Bellamy, Clarke placed her hand on top of Lexa’s.

Finally, the night began to wind down and as everyone started to say goodnight to each other, the Grounders sat on the ground and one by one began to remove a shoe each, stripping off a sock. They wandered around and exchanged socks.

“What are they doing?” Clarke asked Lexa in confusion.

“It is the first snowfall of the season,” Lexa explained, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Then, as if just remembering the fact that Clarke had never experienced snowfall before, she added to her explanation. “On the night of the first snowfall of the season, we exchange stockings. We lie them beside our beds in hopes that they will be filled with glad tidings for the season and hope for our survival. Young children, of course, wish for treats and their parents often fill their stockings with treats.”

The tradition sounded vaguely familiar to Clarke, perhaps something she had read in a history book, but her memory was fogged with moonshine. She nodded at Lexa and pulled off a boot, stripped off a sock and handed it to Lexa. Lexa did the same.

“What do you hope for?” Clarke asked.

“For life to be about more than just surviving,” Lexa responded, the words spilling from her smiling lips. Clarke watched the way Lexa glanced down at her lips, then quickly back up to her eyes, embarrassed. “What do you wish for, Clarke?”

Clarke did not respond with words, instead she pushed her head forward and pressed her cold, chapped lips against Lexa’s. In the flurry of snow around them, none of their drunk people saw the two leaders exchange a brief, chaste lips.

None of them saw Clarke take Lexa’s hand and lead her back to her room in Camp Jaha. Except for Bellamy, who caught Clarke’s eyes right as she left the clearing. He nodded at her and gave her a look of approval before wrapping an arm around a Grounder girl.

The next morning, Clarke and Lexa kept their exchanged stockings, convinced that they were filled with more than just a hope for survival, but a hope for peace and happiness. For each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> madgirlbackhome.tumblr.com


	9. Home for Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa has been overseas for months and Clarke is being forced to spend Christmas without her girlfriend. Or is she?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and here's the second of the day!

Clarke can’t see you, but you can see her. Abby had tried to convince you to wait outside in the car, but you couldn’t. You’re out of sight though, and that’s all that really matters. You watch as Clarke checks her phone over and over again, trying to hide it from her mom and the others there, but you’re sure everyone notices.

Finally, Raven must say something about it, something you can’t hear from hiding outside the house, because she grows visibly upset. You know that Clarke just wants to hear your voice, but you also know that she knows that while your overseas, you don’t always have access to a phone to call. It’s Christmas and she just wants to hear your voice.

Abby emerges from the kitchen and makes eye contact with you and gestures with her eyes for you to hide better so you do. You don’t have as good of a view of the living room now, but you’ll be out of the snow soon.

You watch as the guests all gather around the Christmas tree and begin to exchange presents. You wish you’re inside with them, but you know the surprise will be worth it. You haven’t seen Clarke in months and as soon as you’d heard from your superior officer that you would be able to be home for Christmas, you’d started planning your surprise.

You’d contacted Abby first, then Raven and Octavia. Lastly you’d called Anya and told her that she would be spending Christmas at the Griffin’s.

Raven makes eye contact with you and gives a subtle nod, this is your cue so you nod back. You watch as Raven hands Clarke a carefully wrapped small present. The confusion is evidence on your blonde’s face, as they’ve already finished opening presents.

She starts unwrap the small box and you walk towards the back door. You carefully let yourself in and creep through the house, glad that your army-issued boots are relatively quiet.

You round the corner to the living room just as Clarke finishes unwrapping the present to reveal the small, velvet box. She flips open the box revealing the ring you picked out for her with Abby’s help. She gasps and looks at her mother and friends in confusion.

“What’s going on?” Clarke asks. “Is this from Lexa?”

You take a step into the room, no longer trying to keep your footsteps quiet and Clarke spins around. You know the moment she registers the fact that you’re finally home because she drops the box and tears immediately spring to her eyes.

“Lexi?” Clarke’s voice hitches and she slowly stands up.

You take sure steps closer to the love of your life and you reach her by the time she’s standing. At this point the tears are freely flowing down her cheeks. You take her hands and get down on one knee.

Raven hands you the ring that Clarke had dropped and you take it. You look into Clarke’s blue eyes and your breath hitches because she’s more beautiful than you remembered, despite looking at photos of her every day you’re overseas.

“Clarke,” you begin. “I love you more than anything in the world and I’m going to make this short and sweet because all I want is to hold you in my arms right now. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to grow old with you. And after my tour is up this Spring, I want to marry you.” You watch as Clarke’s eyes widen at the mention of your tour ending. You haven’t told her yet that you don’t plan on reenlisting, and you know she’d still love you if you did, but she’ll be even happier that you’re not. “So, Clarke Griffin, will you marry me?”

Clarke nods because words don’t appear to be coming to her. You slip the ring on her finger and stand up, pulling your now-fiance into a tight embrace and when your lips meet, they taste like salt and a red wine. They taste like candy canes and Christmas. They taste like home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed!
> 
> madgirlbackhome.tumblr.com


	10. Flight Delay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa’s flight home is delayed, so she takes a seat next to a blonde. Turns out they share some similar problems.

The line at the Dunkin’ Donuts in Terminal 5 is long, but with her flight delayed for over two hours, Lexa figures she might as well wait in it. By the time it’s her turn to order, they’re out of nearly every kind of bagel and all muffins except for a sole bran muffin. Lexa hates bran muffins, but the growling in her stomach means she needs to eat something, so she orders her coffee black and the last muffin.

After receiving her order, Lexa takes her rolling suitcase and heads out into the main terminal seating area. The space is packed. Every single flight out of JFK has been delayed due to the raging nor’easter outside. To make matters worse, it was Christmas Eve and all the stranded passengers at places they needed to be other than trapped at an airport.

Lexa spends several minutes looking around for an empty seat before spotting one by the window near her own gate. The seat is occupied by a bag, but Lexa doesn’t see why the person occupying the seat beside it can’t move it, so she approaches the blonde.

“Do you mind if I sit here?” Lexa asks, gesturing to the seat.

“Oh,” the blonde looks up at Lexa in surprise, clearly being drawn away from deep thoughts. Lexa stays standing, waiting for the blonde to respond. She finally seems to remember that she’d been asked a question and moves her bag from the seat. “Yeah, go ahead.”

Lexa takes the seat and removes her jacket. Her phone is already dead and so is her computer, so she decides to talk to the attractive blonde beside her.

“I’m Lexa,” she introduces herself, extending her hand.

After hesitating for a moment, the blonde shakes Lexa’s hand. “I’m Clarke.” 

They drop each other’s hands and Clarke shifts so that she is better facing Lexa. Lexa’s heart skips a beat as she does, registering how beautiful she is, the way her blue eyes seem to pop against her pale skin.

“So what brings you to the airport?” Lexa asks, gesturing to the room around them.

“I’m off to LA for Christmas,” Clarke explains. “Hopefully anyway.”

“Delayed flight?”

“Yeah,” Clarke nods. “What about you?”

“Delayed flight here too,” Lexa agrees. “I was debating whether it was worth sticking around, I wasn’t sure if it was worth it.”

“What? Waiting?” Clarke asks with a raise of her eyebrows.

“I’m supposed to be flying with my partner, but we got into a pretty bad argument last night,” Lexa explains as she remembers the harsh words she and her partner had exchanged the night before, how she’d left her in tears before spending the night at a friend’s apartment. “I came to the airport anyway, my dad would kill me if I didn’t come home for Christmas, but I guess I was secretly hoping she would be here anyway. Despite the argument.”

“What did you guys argue about?” Clarke asks.

“What didn’t we argue about?” Lexa half-laughs. “I don’t make enough time to see her, I’m a law student you see and her schedule is just as hectic. I’m a bit neurotic and she’s more of a free spirit and we just moved in together, so that’s caused some problems. It doesn’t help that we’re both crazy stubborn. Neither of us ever wants to be the first to give in and say I’m sorry. I’m also just not the best at relationships.”

“I see,” Clarke nods. “Relationships are a lot of work. Me and my fiancee tend to argue a lot too.” Lexa’s eyes fall down to Clarke’s hand and take in the sight of the diamond ring on her finger.

“I’d like to blame the holidays,” Lexa added. “Christmas is really tough for both of us. We both have lost people and it’s hard to not have them this time of year.”

“That’s understandable,” Clarke agrees. “Sometimes when you’re hurting, it’s easiest to lash out against the people that you know will always love you. You don’t realize right away that by hurting them, you’re hurting yourself just as much. If not more.”

“Does your fiancee do that a lot?” Lexa asks, inching forward slightly in her seat. “Lash out at you?”

“Sometimes,” Clarke shrugs. “But I’m more the instigator, poking and prodding, say things that I shouldn’t. My fiancee usually takes it, or just ignores me for periods of time, which hurts just as much. She’d rather run away and avoid a problem then confront it.”

“I’m sure that’s hard if you’re more of a confrontational person,” Lexa concedes. There’s a moment of uncomfortable silence before Lexa speaks again, this time in a softer tone. “I don’t know what I’d do without her. I only showed up here at the airport because I thought that she would be here. She doesn’t run from things, I assumed she’d want to be here to try and work them out.”

Another few moments of silence pass and Clarke takes Lexa’s hand between hers. “Maybe she’s just as afraid of losing you as you are her.”

Lexa gives Clarke’s hand a squeeze before shaking her head. “She’d be fine without me. She’s so smart and is always at the center of every room. Everyone wants to talk to her, to be near her. To love her. She’d be fine without me. She’s my everything, but I’m just one part of her.”

“That’s not true,” Clarke insists, her voice suddenly stronger and more serious. “I’m my happiest when I’m with you. I’d take a day arguing with you if it meant having a minute to be happy with you. You ARE my everything.”

Lexa’s eyes quickly dart up to the blue ones beside her, registering the shift in the conversation immediately. Then, at the exact same moment, both women say the words, “I’m sorry.”

Smiles slowly break out across both their faces.

“I shouldn’t have left last night in the middle of an argument,” Lexa offered.

“I shouldn’t have called you heartless,” Clarke conceded.

“I love you,” Lexa spoke. She moved her body forward and rested her head against her fiancee’s.

“I know,” Clarke nodded her head against Lexa’s. “I love you too.”

“I know,” Lexa agreed.

The two women remained in that position, foreheads resting together for several moments. Neither was sure who initiated the kiss, just as neither would ever be sure who said they were sorry first, but the kiss came and it was chaste and sweet. Sorrowful and loving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, I appreciate any comments you have and any ideas you have to have included in future one-shots (prompts have all been decided, but a lot can go many ways)  
> day eleven will be posted this evening!
> 
> madgirlbackhome.tumblr.com


	11. The Mall Elf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke takes her sister to visit the mall santa and good god the line is long but also hello santa's helper is the most perfect human being i've ever seen i think i'm drooling and you've totally caught me staring oh god i want to die.

It’s not that you don’t want to spend time with your sister, it’s just that you’d rather be anywhere other than the mall three days before Christmas. Your mom and step-dad have been stressing in the last few weeks, getting ready to host your extended family for Christmas. Your mom married Marcus Kane nearly six years ago, your senior year of high school, and a year later you were given a younger sister. Half-sister, technically, but after being raised an only child it was still weird at times to remember you had a sibling.

Your mom hadn’t asked you to take Tris to the mall to see Santa, you’d volunteered to take the five-year-old after hearing your mom tell Marcus that she needed Tris out of the house so that she could wrap her presents. After all, your sister still believed in Santa.

The line to see Santa is, of course, insanely long, but the look on Tris’ face when she sees the plastic person-sized Candy Canes and all of Santa’s “elves” helps a little bit with your annoyance.

“Clarke, what do you think Santa is like?” your sister asks, looking at you with eyes filled with the joy of an innocent child.

“Probably fat with a big belly and a big white beard,” you respond. You think you hear someone laugh ahead of you, but you aren’t sure.

“That’s not what I meant,” she places her fists on her hips and glares at you.

“I bet he smells like cookies and candy canes,” you add.

“But is he nice?” Tris asks.

“Hmm,” you tap your chin with your finger. “I think so,” you finally concede. “Only if you’re on the nice list though.” You think you hear the laugh again.

“I’m on the nice list,” Tris asserts herself with a strong nod of her head.

“You sure of that?” you tease your sister. “Because I heard mom on the phone with Santa yesterday, and apparently you didn’t make your bed.”

“I did! I did!” Tris insists.

“I’m just telling you what I heard.”

Tris pouts and one of the elves ushers you to move up in line. The line is still moving painfully slowly.

You’re about to tease the younger blonde a bit more when your eyes catch one of the elves just ahead of you. The first thing you notice is that her eyes are huge, a color green brought out strong by the elf costume she wears. Her long curly brown hair is arranged in multiple, elaborate braids. You wonder if it’s styled that way to give her an “elf” look, or if that’s the way she normally wears her hair. You hope it’s the latter. You want to run your fingers through those curls.

“Right Clarke?” Tris asks. You realize that as you’d been staring at the elf, your sister asked you a question, but you have no idea what it was.

“Sure kid, sure,” you respond while patting her head. She glares at you and you smirk in return.

Your gaze returns to the gorgeous elf as you’re ushered along in the line.

You watch as she crouches down and talks to a little boy who is clearly apprehensive about meeting Santa. You can hear her voice for the first time and it makes you nearly go weak in the knees. You imagine her saying some less than innocent words. You imagine her screaming your name and you feel yourself blush.

“Whatchu lookin’ at?” Tris asks leaning over you to see where your eyes are practically glued to. 

For a five-year-old, she’s fairly observant. You, of course, blame that on the fact that her parents are a doctor and a politician and that you’re a medical student living at home. She lives with successful adults, of course she’s going to be observant. You just wish that she wasn’t quite to observant because she immediately zeroes in on the elf you’d been obviously checking out.

“She’s pretty,” Tris grins as she points to the elf. You watch what happens next in what seems like slow motion. The brunette had obviously heard Tris and starts to turn around. Her eyes meet yours just as Tris says, loudly mind you, “Do you want to kiss her Clarke? Do you want to kiss the elf?”

Your jaw drops and you immediately pull your sister away and place a hand over her mouth. You feel your face flush in embarrassment and Tris bites your hand.

“Shit!” you exclaim, quickly pulling your hand away from her mouth.

You’re very pointedly not looking back at the brunette, and that’s how she manages to sneak up on you. You’re looking at Tris and watch as a devious grin spreads across her face just before you feel someone tap your shoulder. You tentatively turn around, but you already know who is behind you.

Shit. She’s even more gorgeous up close. You try to keep your eyes on hers, eyes you could spend hours looking into, but they fall down to her cleavage. There isn’t much cleavage there, but your not-so-subtle look lets you know that the girl is crazy in shape.

“Are you girls excited to see Santa?” the girl asks. Up close you realize she isn’t so much a girl, and it makes you feel better. She’s probably around your age and you wonder what she does when she isn’t a mall elf.

“What’s he like?” Tris asks, her face full of wonder.

“He’s got a real big belly and a crazy beard,” the elf explains. She crouches down so that she’s level with your sister. “And he smells like cookies and candy canes.”

You stifle a laugh as you realize she must have heard you talking earlier, and that hers must have been the laugh you’d heard.

“Ugh,” Tris pouts, raising up her hands in frustration. “You’re juts as bad as my sister.” She huffs and turns around until she sees an elf who, inexplicably, has a pair of goggles on his head. “Do you know what Santa is like?” she asks him.

“I know ALL about him,” he responds gleefully.

Tris sticks her tongue out at you and the female elf and starts to talk to the male elf, leaving you alone with the girl you’d been ogling.

“So cookies and peppermint?” you ask with a slight smile.

“So I’ve heard anyway,” she shrugs. “I’m Lexa,” she extends your hand to you and you shake it.”

“Clarke,” you respond. There’s a moment of awkward silence so you fill it with the worst possible line ever. “So, do you come here often?”

Lexa gives up a genuine laugh and it forces you into laughing along with her.

“Sorry,” you say after you stop laughing. “I’m notoriously horrible at flirting.”

“Flirting, huh?” Lexa asks with a smirk. The line moves forward and you shuffle along with her.

You shrug and that’s when you realize that you’re next in line to meet Santa.

“It’s nice of you to bring your sister,” Lexa speaks after you don’t respond to her.

“My parents needed a break,” you laugh in response.

It’s your turn to see Santa so you grab onto Tris’ hand and Lexa ushers you toward the man in the red suit.

“If you need a break later, I get off at five,” Lexa winks at you and disappears and suddenly you’re leading your five-year-old sister up to meet Santa.

After a quick chat with Santa and a photo, you’re being ushered away by the exit elves. You’re handed the photo of Tris and Santa by an elf whose name tag reads “Anya” and you wish that Lexa was on the exit side.

“Oh,” Anya says as you turn to walk away. “I almost forgot.” She hands you a post-it note with a roll of her eyes.

You give her a look of confusion then see Lexa’s name on the post-it, followed by a phone number. You smile and let Tris drag you away.

As you leave, you see Lexa crouching down beside a pair of twins with a smile on her face. You program her number into your phone phone and send off a text of Christmas emojis followed by your name. Maybe waiting in line to see Santa three days before Christmas wasn’t so bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> madgirlbackhome.tumblr.com


	12. Faking It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You only really fall apart in front of the people you know can piece you back together.” - Fake Dating AU

Lexa had been there when Clarke had gotten the call from her mom, the call that had transformed her from the pre-med student to the girl with the dead father. She’d been there when Clarke had dropped the phone, shattering the screen and had fallen to the ground herself. She’d been on the other side of the counter in their kitchen and had known immediately by the look on her best friend’s face that something was wrong and had rushed around the corner just in time to fall on the floor beside her. 

She’d cradled the blonde’s body for minutes as they sat in silence until Clarke had finally been able to utter the words, “My dad died.”

Lexa had been there at the funeral, holding Clarke’s hand the entire time. She’d been there when Clarke had nearly forgotten to pack her wallet when they’d left for the airport to fly back to New York for the funeral, picking it up off the counter as they left their shared apartment.

Lexa had been there for Clarke in the months following Jake’s death. Clarke was her best friend and she knew she was hurting, so she’d been there for her when she wanted to stay in and watch a movie or when she just really needed to get drunk and go dancing.

The first month after Jake’s death had been hard on Clarke, but she’d pulled through thanks to Lexa. It had taken another two months before Clarke was able to get as much back to normal as she could and after six months, she was nearly back to her old self.

Nine months after Jake Griffin died, however, fell around Christmastime. Every year for Christmas, Clarke and her family had gone to her father’s parents’ house and this year was to be no exception. She wasn’t sure if she’d be able to get through it alone though. Clarke and Abby didn’t have the best relationship, especially without Jake to keep them together, so Clarke needed someone with her when she spent Christmas with Jake’s family.

By someone though, Clarke knew that she needed her best friend with her, she needed Lexa. Clarke knew that Lexa would have no qualms about joining her for Christmas, after all the Woods family was small and spread across the country. They were never all together at Christmastime. The real problem came with how Clarke would be able to convince her family to let her bring Lexa to a family function. They were great people and loving, but Christmas was a family event for them and they wouldn’t be able to understand why Clarke would want to bring a friend to the family event.

It was Lexa who’d thought of the solution after Clarke had voiced her concerns.

“Let me pretend to be your girlfriend,” the brunette had offered. “Your family saw me with you at the funeral and I’m pretty sure they think we’re dating anyway, so it would just give me and excuse to be there for you.”

Clarke had been hesitant at first, not wanting Lexa to have to lie for her, but it hadn’t taken her long to agree to the plan. They’d decided to pretend that they’d started dating right before Jake had died, but had felt weird letting everyone know at such a hard time, so they’d kept it somewhat secret. They didn’t need need to prepare too much for their lie. They’d been best friends since they’d sat next to each other during their first ever college class just over three years earlier and were now living with each other for a third year. They knew everything there was to know about one another.

Grandma Griffin had been ecstatic to learn that Clarke and Lexa were dating. She’d met Lexa a few time over the years and after learning Lexa was a lesbian, had not so subtly hinted that she wanted her bisexual granddaughter to date her.

Christmas Eve in the upstate New York town where Jake had grown up went surprisingly well. They’d arrived just before dinner and had gone through the meal talking about how they’d “finally’ figured out that they liked each other more than friends. They’d both offered up believable answers. It had been an early night and they’d gone to bed sharing a queen bed in a guest room. They’d shared a bed before when going on trips, it wasn’t a big deal.

It wasn’t until Christmas morning that Clarke’s relatives began to ask how long Lexa and Clarke had secretly had crushes on each other.

“I think I always had a bit of a crush on her,” Clarke explained to her family. “I mean look at her,” she turned towards her best friend, dressed in the silly Christmas pajamas Clarke had made her wear. Lexa stuck her tongue out at the blonde and Clarke’s relatives laughed.

“What about you Lexa?” Abby asked. “When did you first develop a crush on our girl?”

Lexa didn’t allow herself to think through her words. There was no reason to, not when she was able to tell the truth, despite the false nature of their relationship.

“I think I always had a bit of a crush on her too,” Lexa admitted. When several family members pouted, wanting more than what Clarke had already given, Lexa continued with her admission. “The first time I realized it though was around midterms our freshman fall. We had a presentation to give in the English class we met in and she was crazy nervous to give hers, which I don’t know why, she’s a great public speaker.” Clarke blushed, but Lexa kept speaking. “She sped through her presentation, but then about halfway through it, she stumbled over her words and said Scarlett Johansson instead of Scarlett O’Hara. A few people chuckled and she immediately realized her mistake. Instead of getting flustered about it though, she just went with it. She pretended that she had meant to say Scar Jo’s name launched into a whole analysis of her and compared her to Scarlett O’Hara. The professor loved it and lauded her creativity.” Clarke’s relatives laughed, but Lexa wasn’t done. “That’s the first time that I realized why I got butterflies whenever I was around Clarke, it was because I was falling in love with this girl who could turn a mistake into something awesome that people thought incredible. She just has a way with words and making people feel comfortable, and that was the first time I realized that I was falling in love with her for it.”

There was a moment of silence before Grandma Griffin smiled and clapped, “Clarke, you better not let this one go,” she laughed. “Because if you and Lexa ever break up, I’m keeping her and you can go. I like her.”

Lexa laughed, but when her eyes met Clarke’s she faltered. Clarke was looking at her with an expression she couldn’t read.

“Clarke, I think you can do a bit better, your girlfriend just gave you a super sappy reason she fell in love with you, you should do the same,” Clarke’s cousin, Bellamy, insisted.

Clarke thought for a moment before she offered up a suggestion, “I could tell you the moment I realized it wasn’t just a crush, and I didn’t just love her as a friend, but I was in love with her.”

Even though she was speaking to Bellamy, Clarke’s eyes remained on Lexa’s and it was Bellamy’s younger sister, Octavia, who responded to her. “That sounds sappy. When was it?”

“About a year ago,” Clarke responded. “It was the night of our last finals for the semester and we decided to just stay home and watch a Christmas movie instead of going out partying like the rest of our friends were. We were just so exhausted from staying up all hours studying. This was before we got our new couch in the living room, so we decided to watch It’s a Wonderful Life in my room since I have a TV in there as well. We basically talked through the entire first half of the movie until our exhaustion caught up to us. Gradually we stopped talking and just focused on watching the movie. When the movie was over though, I looked down at Lexa who had at some point ended up with her head on my chest and I realized she was asleep. My first thought was about how cute she looked when she slept, but my second thought was that I wanted that moment to last forever. I realized that I wanted her to fall asleep in my arms every night because it felt like the most normal thing in the world. That’s when I knew I was in love with her. A second later, of course, she let out a huge snore and woke herself up. She was a bit grumpy after I laughed at that, but a few minutes later she was a sleep again. She had no idea that my entire world had just shifted, but really, it didn’t change at all, because I think I’d been in love with her for a while.”

There was a brief moment of silence during which Lexa and Clarke stared at each other. Someone coughed and seeming to remember she was in a room with others, Clarke tore her eyes away from Lexa’s and rapidly blinked her eyes.

Lexa, didn’t even remember the night Clarke was talking about. It had been just a normal night to her. Now that Clarke had brought it up, she’d remembered spending that night in, but it hadn’t stood out to her the same way it had to Clarke. 

“Can we open presents now?” one of Clarke’s younger cousins complained, eliciting laughter from around the room. It broke up the slight tension that nobody other than Clarke or Lexa felt. 

Lexa wondered why Clarke had chosen that night to pick for her to realize her pretend-love for Lexa. She’d have to remember to ask her friend later.

It took a while to disperse the presents among everyone and Lexa was surprised to find that she’d received a few herself, she figured that her last minute addition to the day would mean she wouldn’t be receiving anything, not to mention the fact that she wasn’t family, but she had a sizable pile in front of her.

Granddad Griffin was the one who announced it was time to open presents and as soon as he did there was a whirlwind of wrapping paper thrown around as everyone started opening presents.

Lexa finished opening her small pile fairly quickly and fawned over the books Clarke’s parents had gotten her, the sweater from Abby and the boxed set of Buffy DVDs Clarke had gotten her that had come with a Claddagh ring. She’d slipped the ring on with the heart facing in, keeping up the charade that she and Clarke were in a relationship.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lexa watched as Abby handed Clarke one last present.

“Your Dad picked this out before he died,” Clarke’s mom explained. “It was after your birthday, so he wanted to give it to you for Christmas.”

Lexa turned to better face Clarke and watch her open the present. This was the kind of moment that Clarke needed her there for, why they were pretending to be in a relationship in the first place. Lexa watched as Clarke’s hands shook, attempting to open the wrapping paper so she scooted over and sat beside her best friend. She placed her hand on the small of Clarke’s back and felt the tension fall from it. Clarke gave her a look of appreciation and continued to open the present, now with steadier hands.

Pulling the wrapping paper away, Clarke revealed a small jewelry box. She hesitated only momentarily before opening it. Inside the box was revealed to be a small locket with a gryphon engraved on it. Clarke removed the necklace from the box and flipped the locket over. The backside of the locket was engraved with a willow tree.

Clarke gasped as soon as she registered exactly what it was her father had picked out for her. She clenched the locket in her hand and abruptly stood up.

“Excuse me,” she managed to get out before running out of the room.

The living room immediately grew silent as Clarke’s relatives all watched her flee. Abby stood to follow her, but Lexa stopped her. “Let me,” she offered. This was what she was here for, wasn’t it? She knew that Clarke often ran off on her own, but that she secretly hated being alone, she needed human comfort more than many others, even if it meant just sitting next to someone while she sulked.

It didn’t take long for Lexa to find Clarke in the guest room where they were staying. The blonde sat on the bed, fist still clenched, staring straight ahead. As soon as Lexa entered the room, however, she broke down, tears pouring down her face as she began to sob.

Lexa immediately rushed over to her best friend and held her in her lap, letting Clarke’s tears soak her shirt.

Clarke cried for her father, the one person who had been there for her her entire life. Her confidant in everything. Lexa was her best friend, but Jake Griffin had been her best friend as well. There was one thing that Clarke had told Jake that she had never told Lexa and the necklace she clenched in her fist was proof of it.

Clarke had read somewhere that you only really fall apart in front of the people you know can piece you back together, and for her, that was Lexa. Lexa didn’t ask why the locket had elicited such a strong response from Clarke, she just held the blonde, because that’s what Clarke needed.

After nearly half an hour, Clarke’s sobs finally cooled and with puffy eyes she looked up at her best friend.

Clarke took several deep, shaky breaths before she was able to get out the words, “I love you.”

“I love you too Clarkey,” Lexa reassured her, rubbing her friend’s back.

“No,” Clarke shook her head. Lexa gave the girl a look of confusion and Clarke unclenched her fist, showing off the locket. “I told my Dad last year at Christmas. I needed to tell someone, and I couldn’t tell you.”

“What couldn’t you tell me?”

“That I was in love with you,” Clarke admitted. “I wasn’t lying earlier when I said that night after finals was when I realized I was in love with you and I told my Dad as soon as I got home. He said he already knew,” she added with a slight laugh. “He said he couldn’t wait to officially call you a daughter as well.”

Lexa stared at Clarke in shock, but accepted the locket when Clarke placed it in her hand. She briefly traced the gryphon that was obviously a representation of Clarke, then the willow tree. And that’s when it clicked, that was supposed to be for her, for Lexa Willow Woods.

“I know this is probably the worst ever time to tell you, as we’re pretend dating and my face is full of snot, but I’m in love with you Lexa.”

Instead of questioning it or acting shocked, Lexa simply smiled. “I wasn’t lying either,” she spoke. “I realized I was falling in love with you that day in English class. I’ve been in love with my best friend for a long time.”

Lexa opened up her hand for Clarke to take back the locket. Instead of taking it, however, Clarke placed her hand on top of Lexa’s and gripped it, the locket stuck between their palms. She took their clasped hands and brought them up to her mouth, pressing a kiss against Lexa’s soft skin.

“Imagine if we had told each other a year ago,” Clarke smiled, “Back when I first figured it out.”

“I don’t think much would have been different,” Lexa offered. “People always think we’re dating as it is. Only, we wouldn’t have had to pretend this week. And we could have been doing this for a lot longer.”

Clarke narrowed her eyes at Lexa in confusion, a confusion that was quickly clarified when Lexa pressed their lips together.

When they returned to Clarke’s family half and hour later, neither of them said anything about what had happened behind the closed door. 

Hours later though, when Clarke kissed Lexa at the dinner table, Abby smiled softly, realizing what words must have been said behind that closed door. She hadn’t for a moment believed the fake dating story, but she knew a real kiss when she saw one. And though the kiss at the table at been chaste, what really sold it to Abby was the way that Clarke and Lexa looked at each other after pulling away.

They looked at each other as if the whole world was just the background to their love and that the eyes they were staring into held more for them than the entire universe around them. They looked at each other in a way that made everyone in the room believe in soulmates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> madgirlbackhome.tumblr.com


	13. Let it Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa grew up in New Hampshire and is used to a snowy Christmas. Clarke grew up in sunny Southern California where the two met in college. Lexa misses the snow, so Clarke decides to do something about it.

“Where are you taking me Clarke?” Lexa huffed as her girlfriend led her away from the library with a devious grin on her face.

“You’ve been studying for hours and you need a break.”

“Can’t I take my break tomorrow?” Lexa sighed. “You know, after my Econ final?”

“Babe, you already have a job after graduating at a Fortune 100 company and you have A’s in all your classes, I really don’t think you need to be studying this much.”

“I have A’s FROM studying this much.”

Clarke sighed and paused in the middle of the sunny quad. Lexa nearly ran into Clarke at the sudden stop, but the tension released from her shoulders the moment Clarke placed her hands on either side of them.

“Just trust me, okay?” Clarke pleaded, her blue eyes honest. They were the first thing Lexa had fallen in love with when they met during sorority recruitment freshman year, three years earlier.

“Always,” Lexa responded with the honesty that came from being in a committed relationship for so long.

Clarke’s grin returned to her face and she grasped Lexa’s hand again to continue their way across the sunny campus. It was a week before Christmas and it was eighty degrees out, a fact that annoyed Lexa like no other. Despite living in southern California for university for over three years now, she was still bitter about the fact that there was never any snow for Christmas there. Not like in her home state of New Hampshire.

Lexa wasn’t confused as to where Clarke was taking them until they entered their apartment building, and instead of taking the stairs up to the second floor, Clarke continued to lead her up the flights.

“Uhh, Clarke, I think we missed our floor,” Clarke pointed out.

“We’re not going home, not yet.”

They finally reached the top of the stairs that led to the roof.

“The roof?” Lexa asked.

“Yep,” Clarke nodded.

Without another word, Clarke opened the door to the roof and gestured for Lexa to exit. Lexa took a tentative step outside and immediately stopped in her tracks as she took in the sight in front of her.

The small garden area on the roof had been completely transformed into something that could only be described as a winter wonderland. Fake snow was covering the entire floor, wreaths and holly decorated all the furniture and a decorated tree stood tall at the center of it all. To top it all off, cooling fans were placed around the perimeter, causing Lexa to shiver in the cold.

“I know you were upset that you wouldn’t be seeing any snow for Christmas since we’re going to my parents this year, so I wanted to give you some,” Clarke explained her actions.

“This is the most thoughtful thing anyone has every done for me,” Lexa admitted. She stayed staring in awe at the sight in front of her.

Clarke took several steps forward and wrapped her arms around Lexa’s waist.

“Worth leaving the library for?” Clarke asked with a slight giggle.

“You’re here,” Lexa wrapped an arm around her girlfriend and kissed the top of her head. “Of course it’s worth it. I love this so much, but I don’t need snow if I have you.”

Clarke pulled away slightly from the brunette and pulled her into the center of the winter wonderland, dragging them underneath the mistletoe.

“Mistletoe,” Clarke chuckled as she pointed above them to the greenery hung from a bamboo beam.

So naturally, Lexa kissed her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> madgirlbackhome.tumblr.com


End file.
